TCM Syndrome Differentiation and Classification of Amenorrhea

Traditional Chinese medicine divides amenorrhea into two categories: deficiency and excess. Deficiency is mostly due to congenital deficiency or acquired damage, resulting in a lack of menstrual source, an empty blood sea, and nothing to flow down; excess is mostly due to obstruction of evil qi, congestion of the vessels, obstruction of Chong and Ren meridians, and the blood sea is not full and overflowing. There are five specific types:

Qi and blood deficiency type

Menstruation gradually becomes delayed, the amount of menstruation gradually decreases, the color becomes lighter and the texture becomes thinner, and then stops, accompanied by fatigue, shortness of breath, laziness to speak, dizziness, palpitations and insomnia, dull hair, dry skin, pale tongue, thin white fur, and a thready and weak pulse.

Liver and kidney deficiency

After abortion, miscarriage, long-term illness or childbirth, the menstrual volume gradually decreases, the menstruation is delayed, or even amenorrhea occurs, with dizziness, blurred vision, soreness of the waist and knees, irritability, hot flashes, a small amount of vaginal discharge, dryness of the genitals, and even weight loss, sallow complexion, dry skin, hair loss, loss of libido, pale tongue, thin white or thin yellow tongue coating, and a thin and weak pulse.

Kidney Qi Deficiency Type

Primary amenorrhea, or late menarche, delayed menstruation with scanty flow, light color and thin texture, gradually leading to amenorrhea, dizziness, tinnitus, soreness of waist and knees, frequent urination at night, scanty vaginal discharge, dull complexion, pale tongue with thin and moist coating, deep, thready and weak pulse, and weak radial pulse.

Qi stagnation and blood stasis type

Menstruation is irregular, with scant flow, gradually leading to amenorrhea, or sudden amenorrhea after a fit of rage. There is depression, pain in the chest, ribs, breasts, and lower abdomen, a dark tongue or with ecchymosis, a thin white or yellowish tongue coating, and a wiry, wiry pulse.

Phlegm-dampness blocking type

The menstrual period is delayed, the menstrual flow gradually decreases and eventually stops, the patient feels tired and listless, becomes fatter, has a stuffy feeling in the chest and abdomen, eats less but produces a lot of phlegm, has a lot of vaginal discharge that is white and thick, has a pale and fat tongue with a greasy white coating, and a slippery pulse.